L.A. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick up to task in Game 5

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks hoped to make life difficult for Jonathan Quick in Game 5, just as they did -- with stunning success -- early in the series.

Instead, Quick remained in his comfort zone for the second game in a row, and the Sharks lost for the second consecutive game.

The Kings' 3-0 victory Saturday marked Quick's eighth career playoff shutout and the fourth time he has blanked the Sharks in the postseason.

"We counted on him, and he made big saves," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "But at the same time, the team's playing better in front of him. I thought it was probably our best defensive game so far this series, and we don't want Quickie to have to stand on his head every night."

His leaky performances in Games 1 and 2 are now a distant memory. One of the best goalies in the game has settled in.

The Sharks have no one to blame but themselves.

"We saw (in Games 1 and 2) that when guys are bumping him and in the crease, it makes him stay in the net," Sharks wing Matt Nieto said. "He can't come out and play the angles the way he likes to."

The Sharks did precious little bumping, distracting or deflecting Saturday. Loose pucks in the crease were few and far between. Rebound opportunities were scant.

It was usually one-and-done for the Sharks, who were 0 of 5 on the power play.

On the rare occasion the Sharks had an open window into Quick's net -- for instance, Andrew Desjardins in the first period -- they failed to convert.

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"We moved it around at times," coach Todd McLellan said of the power play, "but after that, it looked like the rest of our game."

Count rookie Tomas Hertl as a proponent of having a day off between games. Two days off? Even better.

Hertl is rounding into shape after missing 45 games with a knee injury. He returned for the penultimate game of the regular season, then collected four points in four games against the Kings.

But he needed every minute of rest he could get.

"I didn't play for four months," he said. "I was OK after the first game, but it's nice to get a day off and have more energy."

Hertl has shown remarkably little rust since his April 11 return. He collected a goal and assist in the Game 1, becoming the first player in franchise history to record multiple points in his first postseason appearance.

He added the game-tying goal in the Game 3 victory.

"He's back in the form he was before the injury," Tommy Wingels said. "He was ready to roll from the start. He's a confident kid."

The Sharks' leader in ice time through four playoffs games was the same 37-year-old who led them in minutes during the regular season.

"I've always said this: I play better when I play more," Dan Boyle said.

Boyle averaged 22:03 minutes on ice in the first four games but played 23:28 in Game 5 because of the injury to Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

He becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1.

"Everybody says 37? I don't care," he said. "I play better the more I play. That's only natural for every individual in here."